Lead, Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)

## Description

Welcome to Cass Regional! We are a 35-bed critical access hospital just south of Kansas City (only 20 min). We deeply care for our community and are top ranked for customer service and patient care. Our RT team is looking for a full-time dayshift lead that seeks teamwork, family atmosphere, highest quality patient care and a place that appreciates high standards and performers. Come join our team.

**Primary Purpose:** To provide for the cardiac and respiratory needs of patients according to physician’s orders. Additionally, responsible in assisting to maintaining departmental objectives for the benefit of patients and staff.

**Formal Policy-Setting Responsibilities:** Formally responsible for making recommendations regarding policies associated with the job's purpose and essential responsibilities.

**Routine Decision Making:** Prioritizing patient scheduling according to patient severity; reliability of ABG machine performance; need for oxygen titration; scheduling of procedures at appropriate facilities.

**Formal Supervisory Responsibility:** No formal supervisory responsibility, reports directly to RT director.

**Unusual Working Conditions**: Possibility of blood, body fluid contamination.

**Age Specific Competencies**: Provides care for birth to pediatric (birth-2 yrs.), pediatric/child patients between (2 yrs-12 yrs); adolescent patients between 12 to 18 years of age; adult patients between 18 to 64 years; and geriatric patients 65 years and older.

**Essential Responsibilities and Tasks**

**Maintains blood gas lab. (15% of time)**

• Review auto QC in RapidComm. Lab personnel will sign off on QC monthly.
• Immediately takes all reports and API to the lab for lab director for review after RT director review.
• Monitors RapidComm logs monthly and reports any discrepancies to the RT director.
• Performs or assists lab performing calibration verification material every 6 months and adjusts linearity values after completion. Reports any discrepancies to RT director.
• Designates RT employees each quarter to perform proficiency testing on the blood gas analyzer.
• Compiles and reports PI related to the blood gas lab.

**Assists with employee/student training. (5% of time)**

• Assists with department meeting preparation and training sessions associated with the meetings, monthly.
• Performs competency check-offs when assigned by RT manager.
• Schedules mandatory orientation for students with human resources for first clinical day.
• Coordinates respiratory therapy student shifts and syllabus with Concorde Community College

**Performs all aspects of respiratory care. (15% of time)**

• Performs all patient therapy within one hour of scheduled time.
• Performs all testing modalities within one hour of order, or at specific time on order.
• Performs any "stat" order within 15 minutes of initiation of stat order.
• Performs patient assessment/care plans upon receipt of inpatient respiratory orders, and reassesses every three days.

**Provides guidance in director’s absence. (5% of time)**

• Maintains adequate staffing in director’s absence.
• Maintains supplies, and orders when needed.
• Responds to emergency recall roster when activated.
• Initiates discipline process in accordance with hospital directives in director’s absence.
• Responds to customers’ needs in director’s absence.
• Provide director input in employee appraisal process, each year.

**Performs QA of employee performance, when directed. (5% of time)**

• Randomly reviews each employee’s charting weekly and reports discrepancies to RT director.
• Monitors employee’s performance related to therapies, job duties and customer service when directed by director.

**Provides education and assist with COPD** **support group. (5% of time)**

• Provides patient education related to medication upon physician request.
• Provides patient education related to home equipment each time a patient is ordered to have a new device.
• Provide tobacco cessation to all inpatients upon order.
• Provide patient education related to pulmonary disease process upon request or order.
• Assists RT director and Pulmonary Rehab Therapist quarterly with COPD support group activities.

**ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS**

• Medium Work: Lifting 100# maximum with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 25#.

**PHYSICAL DEMANDS**

• Lifting: Raising or lowering an object from one level to another (includes upward pulling).
• Carrying: Transporting an object, usually holding it in hands or arms or on the shoulders.
• Pushing: Exerting force upon an object so that the object moves away from the force (including slapping, striking, kicking, and treadle actions).
• Pulling: Exerting force upon an object so that the object moves toward the force (includes jerking).
• Hearing: Ability to determine audible communication.
• Stooping: Bending the body downward and forward by bending the spine at the waist.
• Kneeling: Bending the legs at the knees to come to rest on the knee or knees.
• Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending the legs and spine.
• Reaching: Extending the hands and arms in any direction. &nbsp